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Dear reader, WELCOME TO FORKLIFTACTION.COM, MATERIALS HANDLING ONLINE. This is issue #311 - 24 May 2007 of the weekly newsletter for industry professionals. |
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 “Forklift gives BigBoy a lift.” |
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Fleet Management Systems  Fleet management systems can make workplaces safer and cut costs through efficient management of forklifts. The technology, adopted from other equipment sectors, allows fleet owners to concentrate on their core business, secure in the knowledge that their capital investment is being put to good use. Christine Liew reports. Read more 
Maintainco survives MCFA mega-dealer ploy SOUTH HACKENSACK, NJ, United States Forklift distributor Maintainco Inc filed on May 23 for reimbursement of more than USD4 million in legal fees and costs stemming from successful litigation it filed against Mitsubishi Caterpillar Forklift America Inc (MCFA). In a decision disclosed on May 2, Judge William C Meehan found MCFA liable for breach of contract and violation of the New Jersey Franchise Practices Act. The case was heard in New Jersey Superior Court’s chancery division for Bergen County. Post-decision requests for MCFA legal comment about the case went unanswered. Meehan awarded damages of USD734,000 to Maintainco, has scheduled a July 10 hearing on the fees and costs and is then expected to sign the final judgment. Once filed and docketed, the case begins a 45-day period during which an appeal may be filed. Maintainco sued MCFA in September 2000 to ward off establishment of another Mitsubishi distributor — Mid-Atlantic Handling Systems LLC — in Maintainco’s territory. Maintainco president James Picarillo said: “The litigation has been a long drawn out matter that is not yet fully concluded.” Maintainco attorney Theodore Margolis expected MCFA would appeal against Judge Meehan’s decision. However, he said: “If they appeal, they will find themselves going back into court. This time, it will not take seven years [to get a decision]. It will take seven minutes.” Margolis is a senior trial attorney in the Bridgewater, New Jersey, office of the law firm Norris McLaughlin & Marcus PA. Maintainco started selling Mitsubishi forklifts in 1982 and, from 1985, was granted an exclusive Mitsubishi sales territory covering 12 counties in northern New Jersey. Maintainco added Toyota Material Handling USA products in nine overlapping counties in 1992 and distributes for Big Joe Manufacturing Company in an open region. Maintainco is based in South Hackensack and has another site in South Plainfield, 40 miles (64km) away. According to court filings, MCFA decided in June 1999 to terminate Maintainco as a dealer. “The truth is, in an email six months before the termination letter of January 5, 2000,” Margolis said. Mid-Atlantic began operations in Middlesex, New Jersey, in July 2000. It sought bankruptcy protection three years later. Maintainco amended its suit in March 2001 to include Mid-Atlantic as a defendant. MCFA attorneys wanted the case heard in the US Bankruptcy Court in New Jersey, but, in November 2003, bankruptcy Judge Donald Steckroth remanded the litigation to the state court. Operant Material Solutions of NY/NJ LLC, in Middlesex, purchased some Mid-Atlantic assets in December 2003. Margolis said: “To destroy Maintainco, MCFA wanted to put in a second dealer that was selling [forklifts at] less than dealer cost.” Picarillo said: “The law says that if you want to get rid of a dealer, you come in and buy him out. They did not want to pay.” MCFA, of Houston, Texas, USA, uses “Two Brands. One Promise” in marketing Mitsubishi and Caterpillar forklifts. The industry is familiar with the phrase “Two Brands. One Channel” to explain MCFA efforts to create mega-dealerships. “They want to get rid of 25 dealers,” Margolis said.  Bolzoni expands east Asian reach PIACENZA, Italy Bolzoni Auramo has reorganised its sales network in east Asia by appointing new dealers in Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia. Marketing and sales director Carlo Fallarini said Bolzoni had an exclusive importer in Indonesia in the past but representation in Singapore and Thailand was new. The Italian forklift attachment maker first entered the east Asian market in the mid-1990s through a dealer network. "After the deep Asian [economic] crisis, the group had to re-establish the organisation. The first step was China in the late 1990s, thanks to co-operation with the Tiger group, our partner in our Shanghainese sales subsidiary," Fallarini said. The new dealers are PT Auratech Best Western, in Jakarta, Indonesia; Fluid-Tec Engineering & Trading Pte Ltd, in Singapore; and CPT Technology Co Ltd, in Nonthaburi, Thailand. A Bolzoni statement said its Shanghai factory would support the new sales network. Bolzoni established the Shanghainese production facility in 2005, which opened opportunities for co-operation with Chinese forklift dealers and customers. It allowed Bolzoni to supply the east Asian market with Chinese-manufactured products through a more efficient logistics operation. Bolzoni board of directors member Peter Staack said it was important for Bolzoni to be more active in east Asia. "The opportunity to conclude dealership agreements with local companies gives us the possibility to work together with experienced, skilled organisations to promote and support Bolzoni Auramo products." Fallarini estimated the east Asian market size at about 190,000 counterbalanced forklift units. It grew 19 per cent in 2006 over 2005. China was currently the biggest market, at about 86,000 units, followed by Japan (64,000 units). The estimated value of the east Asian forklift attachment market was about EUR26 million. He said the company had covered the most important east Asian markets but was working hard to find local partners in "a couple of countries" there. Bolzoni's other east Asian dealer representatives are in Taiwan and Malaysia.  Clark celebrates 90 years of materials handling LEXINGTON, KY, United States Clark Material Handling Co put the emphasis on celebration — and the future — in marking the 90th anniversary of it introducing the world’s first materials handling truck in 1917. President and CEO Dennis Lawrence said: “This was a significant celebration for Clark and its dealers worldwide. As we celebrate 90 years of materials handling, we are pleased that Clark is once again a major player in this industry. We have ‘built to last’ trucks, Totalift parts, financial packages for our dealers and a dealer network commitment to the brand. This company is proud of its heritage and enthusiastic about its future.” Clark brought together more than 300 domestic and international dealers, government officials and other guests for a week-long series of events in Kentucky. The activities included a global executive meeting at the North American headquarters, in Lexington, tours of the firm’s 184,000 square foot (16,560 square metre) parts facility in Louisville and a gala dinner in an elegantly appointed room overlooking the straight away at the historic Keeneland Race Course, in Lexington. A spokesperson for Clark said 280 guests from 31 countries attended the dinner. The guest list included dealers, Clark officials, company retirees and several suppliers. Clark launched five products. The C60/80 and GEX models are manufactured in Clark’s Changwon, South Korea, facility; the EWP30 and AC technology conversions of class 3 HWX/PWX models at Clark’s Oingdao, China, site; and the electric stand-up counterbalanced (ESX) rider in Lexington. Young An Hat Company Ltd, of Buchsan, South Korea, acquired Clark’s assets and assumed debt obligations in January 2003 through a bankruptcy court auction. With the company’s renewed drive and celebration momentum, Clark continued to work on growth initiatives, including a focused effort on continuous improvement in the current product line, the spokesperson said. Clark plans to expand its Totalift All Makes Parts Program, improve and enhance its distribution model and renew an emphasis on major account and national account activity. Clark received anniversary-related proclamations and communications from the cities of Louisville and Lexington, former governors of Kentucky, suppliers and dealers. Clark’s advertising and marketing efforts supported the anniversary events.  Expose your business with a Forkliftaction.com ShopFront! The ShopFront is your company’s showroom in one of the busiest business portals on the internet. Check out its capabilities with these examples (click a link below to view the ShopFront): • Italian Attachment Manufacturer • China Forklift Manufacturer • Terex & Taylor dealers….new and used - US • World leader in lift truck attachments – QLD, Australia • European Battery Supplier • China Forklift Tyre Manufacturer • Manufacturers of high performance TCM Forklift Trucks - US • Independent second hand forklift supplier - VIC, Australia • UK Fork-arm design and manufacture • China Forklift Manufacturer • Fabrication and design of high quality dock equipment - US • The largest privately owned forklift fleet in Australia • Finland - Side Loading Heavy Equipment Manufacturer • Korean DC Motor Manufacture • Electronic Remanufacturing for the Battery Powered Industry - US • Complete range of Caterpillar heavy equipment – QLD, Australia Want to search the Business Directory? Visit www.forkliftaction.com/directory.  VX engines meet lower emissions criteria GREENVILLE, NC, United States Yale Materials Handling Corporation (YMHC) says engines in its Veracitor VX forklift line meet the lower 2007 limits on emissions and are considered among the materials handling industry’s cleanest available. Using methods and processes defined by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the California Air Resources Board (CARB), each engine or fuel system manufacturer of record conducted certification tests. Yale and its suppliers made changes to power trains in response to new 2007 emissions requirements. Compatible forklifts became available in early 2007. “Yale’s [2005] introduction of the Veracitor VX lift truck product line transformed and enriched the materials handling segment of our customers’ businesses,” Don Chance, YMHC president, said in a statement. “Now the Yale Veracitor series has cleaner engines, too. They perform better than the competition in total carbon monoxide emissions.” Exhaust emissions are defined and measured by the amount of hydrocarbons (HC), oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and carbon monoxide (CO) a truck emits. In 2007, EPA and CARB further reduced allowable emissions levels of those gases. Regulations require that engines meet the emissions levels with proper maintenance. The Yale Veracitor GM 2.4L engine has 0.3 grams per kilowatt-hour (g/kW-hr) emission level of HC+NOx and a 2.2 g/kW-hr level of CO. It meets the emissions standards set for 2010. The Veracitor Mazda 2.0L and 2.2L engines are certified at levels better than the 2007 emissions standard for HC+NOx and CO and, in the lift truck marketplace, rank behind the GM engine in lower CO emissions as ranked by CARB. Each Mazda engine is rated to emit 0.5 g/kW-hr of HC+NOx and 3.4 g/kW-hr of CO. The 2007 CARB/EPA exhaust standard is 1.3 g/kW-hr of HC+NOx and 11.1 g/kW-hr of CO. Engines manufactured before 2007 meet standards that were in place at the time of manufacture and do not need changes to comply with emissions standards, YMHC said. At ProMat 2005, after five years of engineering and development, YMHC introduced the Veracitor VX product line with GM and Mazda engine options. The VX line is available with 2,000 pound (900 kg) to 36,000 pound (16,200 kg) capacities. YMHC, of Greenville, is a unit of Nacco Materials Handling Group Inc. Continental introduces no-press tyre CHARLOTTE, NC, United States Continental Tire North America Inc has introduced a solid pneumatic forklift tyre that requires no press, specialist technician or equipment for installation. The CSEasy tyre could be fitted onsite, ensuring the forklift was back in full operation in several minutes, a Continental Tire statement said. Marketing manager Josef F Pauli said the tyre was patented and “no one has anything like it”. “It doesn't have to be used on just forklifts. It can be used on any vehicle that could use solid rubber tyres of that size,” he said. Solid rubber tyres are squeezed onto a rim using a hydraulic press. That requires sending the wheel to a dealership or having a truck visit the site. A press technician presses off the old tyre and presses the new tyre onto the rim. Pauli said the CSEasy had an adaptor that snapped onto the rim. The tyre was then slid onto the adaptor and tightened with a wrench. “After the first installation, the wheel never needs to be removed from the vehicle. You just jack it up like a car, unbolt the old CSEasy tyre and bolt on the new tyre.”  Chamber honors Equipment Depot of Texas WACO, TX, United States Forklift distributor Equipment Depot of Texas (EDT) was among recipients of outstanding business awards from the Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce at a May 21 banquet. The recognition stemmed from community involvement, including development of Waco’s mammoth excavation site, support for the cancer society, sponsorship of the Mid-Tex Farm and Ranch Show and backing efforts of the chamber and the Providence Hospital Foundation. EDT’s business roots extend back to 1975. It now operates 12 forklift and materials handling equipment stores serving 158 counties in Texas, eight counties in southern Oklahoma and two parishes in western Louisiana. EDT reports to Pon North America, a division within the equipment & power systems group of privately held Pon Holdings BV, of Nijkerk, the Netherlands. Briefs Komatsu honours best US dealers COVINGTON, GA, United States Komatsu Forklift USA Inc has recognised its top dealers for 2006. Fifteen companies with the largest market shares in their locations will receive plaques at the annual dealers’ meeting this year. Komatsu USA’s dealer network covers 195 locations in the US, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. Toyota Europe launches new truck MJÖLBY, Sweden Toyota Material Handling Europe (TMHE) has introduced a new range of internal combustion counterbalanced forklifts for the European market. The Toyota Tonero range consists of seven models with capacities ranging from 1.5 to 3.5 tonnes, available in diesel or LPG engines. TMHE product manager Benoit Meunier said the forklifts delivered world standards in safety, productivity, durability, comfort and environment protection.  Forklift brings Big Boy down GAHANNA, OH, United States A well-known American restaurant trademark had to be rescued by a forklift after it was discovered on a high school roof. Big Boy, a statue of a chubby boy in red and white checked clothing holding a double-decker hamburger, was missing from Frisch’s Big Boy restaurant in Gahanna for several days, The Columbus Dispatch reported. The seven foot (2.13 metre), 500lb (226.8kg) statue was found on the roof of Gahanna Lincoln High School last Monday. It was lowered by a forklift and returned to its stand at the restaurant. Police said the incident had all the “earmarks of a well-planned student prank”. Search 4222 listings in the MarketplaceSample of used equipment for sale:
and thousands more... Click here to include your used forklifts, stackers, telehandlers, container handlers, attachments etc.
Matex exhibits range from simple to high tech MELBOURNE, Victoria, Australia Simple ideas, like corrugated cardboard pallets and a reinvention of the wheel, are butting up against the latest in RFID and fast-charge technology at Matex 2007 in Melbourne this week. Hong Kong-based Innovative Packaging Products has developed corrugated cardboard pallets as a one-way system for exporters keen to reduce freight costs. The interlocking cardboard structure is manufactured in China and flat-packed for later assembly, said Bill Langford, managing director of Australian distributor Pallet-Lok. It is made from either recycled cardboard capable of withstanding a 500kg load or virgin material able to withstand two tonnes. Cardboard pallets can reduce the freight weight of wooden pallets by 7kg to 9kg. The cardboard could be waxed for moisture resistance and needed no fumigation, Langford said. Another complex idea made simple on display at Matex is the Rotacaster, a multi-directional wheel developed by mechanical engineer Graham Guile and his late father, Henry. Guile said the Rotacaster had potential for several applications in the materials handling industry. It was making its debut at Matex and he was seeking expressions of interest. “My father and I developed this over several years in the early ‘90s, but unfortunately he didn’t live to see it reach the patenting stage,’’ Guile said. “My dad was a great reader and originally he called it the Ezekiel wheel after the biblical prophet in the Old Testament who spoke of a chariot that had wheels that moved in all directions. “That interested dad and he knew there must be an engineering solution.” The result is an injection-moulded wheel made from aliphatic polyketaone polymers with transverse rollers on nylon bushes. that can withstand a 2,000kg crush load. The total load bearing can be up to 75kg per wheel. Guile has commissioned a plant at Tuncurry, in northern NSW, to begin a three-shift manufacturing operation that he predicts will produce 100,000 wheels per shift per year. A special guest at the Toyota Material Handling (TMH) exhibit was John Aker, president of Aker Wade Power Technologies, which manufactures the UniMAX and TwinMAX line of fast chargers for electric forklifts. Aker spent last week talking to TMH dealers across Australia and this week fielding inquiries at Matex. He was due to fly back to Virginia, in the US, tomorrow. “I have made two first-class contacts with significant companies so far here at Matex,’’ said Aker, who claims General Motors among his major US clients. His talk today at Matex’s interactive warehouse display was on “Opportunity rapid charging” and the cost-savings to be derived from partially charging batteries between shifts. “In the next two to three years, as battery-charging rates improve, fast charging will eliminate the need for battery change-outs,” he said. Aker says the 21st century will become known as the electric century as fast-charging’s materials handling application translates to other forms of transport. He said the uptake of fast-charge technology would be cost-driven, as his modelling suggested the cost of the technology could be recouped in less than 18 months. Peacock Brothers, Alpha Warehouse Solutions, Intermec and Cascade Australia had a combined stand to demonstrate their joint project, a fully integrated radio frequency identification (RFID) forklift. Intermec supplied the RFID equipment; Peacock Brothers was responsible for installation, software, customisation and assembly; Alpha provided the Baoli forklift; and Cascade supplied the backrests. As reported in Forkliftaction.com News www.forkliftaction.com/news/newsdisplay.aspx?nwid=4028 in March, the system has wireless internet and Bluetooth capabilities. Peacock Brothers’ marketing co-ordinator Craig McKenzie said the system, which allowed forklift operators to register barcodes, even when obscured, without leaving the truck, saved time and reduced injury rates. The display was backed by a seminar by Cal Anderson, of the RFID Association of Australia, titled “Practical approaches to automating workflow in logistics”. McKenzie said reaction to the RFID forklift at Matex had been good, although the show had had a slow start on Tuesday. Matex organiser Nicholas Tossman acknowledged opening day attendance had “tapered off by the afternoon” but said he was pleased with yesterday’s attendance rate. “I think Australia will follow America’s lead when it comes to exhibitions, which is that there is an upswing of people coming back to them,” Tossman said. “Everyone’s got their websites these days and sure you can get a lot of your information from them but now people are also saying ‘I want to touch and feel the product’ and that is why they come along to these things. Problem solved. You expect to see Melbourne people at a Melbourne show but I’ve been surprised by the number of people I’ve seen here today who have come down from Brisbane and New South Wales.” Other exhibitors included Crown, which displayed its new Pro5 series of pneumatic forklifts. Held at the Melbourne Convention & Entertainment Centre to coincide with a National Manufacturing Week exhibition, Matex continues tomorrow. For more exhibitor information, visit www.matex.com.au. Third time lucky for champ? HEMMANT, Queensland, Australia Will George win for a third year running? That’s the question on everyone’s lips as reigning champion George Glisic, of Lyndhurst, Victoria, registers to enter the 2007 Swire Cold Storage National Forklift Driver Competition, the final of which will held in Queensland in July. Glisic has won every Swire forklift driving competition since the quest started two years ago. The focus is on safe driving skills and the competition is open only to employees of Swire Cold Storage. One of Glisic’s main challengers will be Stephen Quinn, who works at the Hemmant III facility, about 10km north-east of the Brisbane CBD. Quinn was last year’s Queensland state finalist and his Hemmant III workplace is an occupational health and safety record-setter. Last August, the Hemmant III facility celebrated 365 days without a lost time injury. A Swire spokesperson said the record was continuing into a second year, with no lost time recorded since August. Participants will test their safe driving practices on a 5200 series Crown Reach forklift truck on a course designed by Chep Australia. Crown and Chep are major sponsors again this year. The 5200 is designed for narrow aisles, such as those found in cold stores. Crown Equipment’s general manager, marketing, Craig Kenchington, said Crown was proud to support Swire Cold Storage in highlighting forklift safety. “Crown Equipment has and continues to be very concerned with safety and producing the safest materials handling equipment possible,” Kenchington said. Chep’s key account manager, Graham Brown, will return to the judging panel. “We at Chep Australia are very happy to support this competition,’’ he said. “It is an excellent vehicle for getting the safe forklift driving message to employees in a fun, social environment.’’ Swire’s general manager of human resources, Lou Gheller, said: “The competition is a great initiative and one that is looked forward to by many Swire Cold Storage employees.” State finals will be held throughout June, and the national final near the Hemmant III facility on July 11. State finalists will be flown to the national championships by Chep and the national winner will receive two flights and two nights’ accommodation in the Australian capital of their choice. Briefs Dream run for goods carriers GOLD COAST, Queensland Gold Coast theme park Dreamworld has bought two B2-48 goods carriers from Taylor-Dunn distributor NTP Forklifts, kitting them out beyond recognition. One unit has become a mobile merchandise cart for Dreamworld’s WhiteWater World, the other has become a mobile cool-room. The B2-48, designed specifically for the hospitality and entertainment industries, can be configured to carry up to 1,800kg while pulling almost 8,000kg at speeds of up to 25km/h. The model has a range of 38km per battery charge. Fishy forklift application LAUNCESTON, Tasmania A Toyota 8-Series FG25 forklift is being used to harvest farm salmon in Tasmania. Van Diemen Aquaculture, which farms Atlantic salmon on the Tamar River, north of Launceston, is using the 2.5-tonne lift truck to shift up to 50 one-tonne fish bins a day. "The Toyota 8-Series FG25 forklift is ideal for harvesting," said farm owner Andrew Mitton. "It has a bin rotator which is essential for this operation.” Mitton has signed a five-year leasing agreement on three forklifts from FRM Materials Handling, in Tasmania. A 1.8-tonne mid-sized forklift is used most often for carrying the tonnes of fish food needed to feed the 1,500 tonnes of salmon that are harvested each year.  Send this newsletter to an associate
Bolzoni Auramo intelligent clamps model CTX – The Key to Damage-free Paper Handling Excessive clamping force is one of the most common causes for paper roll out-of-roundness damage. The varying paper grades, roll weight and diameter, roll wrapper friction, clamp’s contact pad friction, environmental and dynamic factors could make the clamping force control overwhelming for the lift truck operator. Hallsta Paper Mill solved this problem by using Bolzoni Auramo intelligent clamps. Click here for the full text of this release, including pictures. US Industrial Equipment monitored by Australian technology Collective Intelligence Industrial Fleet Management Pty Ltd [CIIFM] considered by many to be the leading equipment monitoring company in Australia, has announced that their Fleet MS system is now available in the United States. Fleet MS is the world's first web based driver and equipment management tool which allows forklift dealers and end users to better manage all key aspects of their fleet. "We are excited to be able to offer a tailor-made, site-specific equipment management system that can significantly help reduce our customers' operating costs and enhance safety." says Tim Cornelius from C&S Lift Truck Technologies, the new... Click here for the full text of this release, including pictures. 4th Thai Ports and Shipping 2007 Bangkok Exhibition and Conference Following the success of the 3rd Thai Ports and Shipping Exhibition and Conference events in Bangkok in 2005, we are delighted to announce the 4th Thai Ports and Shipping 2007 Bangkok Exhibition and Conference will by hosted by the Port Authority of Thailand and will take place at the luxurious 5 star Imperial Queen's Park Hotel, Bangkok on Thursday 27 and Friday 28 September 2007. Click here for the full text of this release, including pictures. Norco launches new products The battery specialists Norco Group Limited have launched a host of new products and services including Norco RMSTM, Norco STR, Norco Power for Life and our new after sales offering. Norco are the UK market leader in the short term rental, maintenance and management of traction and standby batteries, chargers and UPS systems and with an inventory of over 5000 assets, Norco has the largest rental fleet of traction batteries in the United Kingdom. Click here for the full text of this release, including pictures. 
Keytroller Systems: Risk Minimisation in Forklift Operations Click here for more information on this product, including pictures. IMPCO-BERU Technologies releases it's new IMPCO Fleet Management system Click here for more information on this product, including pictures. Keytroller LLC introdces a new inexpensive LCD keypad ignition system: the Model 502. Click here for more information on this product, including pictures. 
Acclaim Handling Ltd ESSEX, United Kingdom Click here for the full Industry Profile feature, including pictures.   |
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